Page 129 of Demise

They both glare at each other before she speaks again.

“We have no tolerance for your kind on our properties. Leave,” she says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small handful of some kind of powder, flicking it in Asher’s direction.

He swats it away angrily. “What the fuck was that?”

“Cumin, it banishes away evil,” she says with a lift of her eyebrows.

Asher sneers. “I’m not the one who worships the devil.”

Rachel shakes her head, rolling her eyes.

“Typical Puritan man and your assumptions.”

Wait.

“Are you a witch?” I ask, cringing at how that must sound.

If she isn’t, I no doubt just offended her, and if she is…well, I don’t really know.

Her narrowed eyes leave Asher before they come to me.

“I am.”

“Sky, can we go? Please?” Asher butts in.

I open my mouth to say…something to Rachel when Asher interrupts again.

“Now, Skyla,” he snaps.

I’m shocked at his attitude, but when I look in his eyes, I see the desperation in them, and I know it’s for good reason. Nodding to him, I go to hand Rachel back the vial when she closes my hand around it and shakes her head.

“You keep it. In his presence, you’ll need that and more.”

I can’t help but let out a laugh at that.

“Well, he’s my husband, so trust me, I’m aware.”

“Husband?” she asks sharply, eyes going wide. They move to Asher as she rakes her narrowed gaze over him judgingly before shaking her head. “You could do far better, love.”

Asher makes an irritated noise in the back of his throat as he opens the shop door, waiting for me impatiently.

“Thank you,” I say as I gesture towards the vial.

She nods. “You’re welcome back anytime. Just leave your…husband at home.”

I don’t really know how to respond to that, so I turn and walk out the door. I feel Asher give her a look but by the time I turn around, he’s facing forward, hurrying me out of the shop. His hand grabs hold of my arm, rushing me to the car.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “What was all that?”

“Fucking witches,” he snarls, reaching into my clenched hand and pulling the vial from it. He looks at it for a moment before throwing it to the ground, stomping his boot over it.

My mouth drops open as he shakes his head and keeps walking, yanking me along with him.

“Asher! What the fuck!”

“It’s evil, Sky. Made with witchcraft. You don’t need that shit infiltrating your life. We should have never stepped foot in a damned place like that,” he says with a shake of his head as we approach the car, Vincent leaning on the side of it.

“Where were you?” Vincent asks me.

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